Jingle bells are starting to ring all across the Golden Triangle as the countdown to Christmas has officially begun.
Families have their traditions for the holiday season such as caroling, going to church, gift giving and decking the whole house in lights and not just the halls. Cities and towns also have their own traditions such as parades, tree lightings and pictures with Santa.
Parades
The first parade of the season will be in Starkville on Monday. Mississippi’s College Town is holding its 50th annual Christmas parade down Lampkin and Main streets.
The procession is slated to begin at 6 p.m. Mississippi State University head softball coach Samantha Ricketts and MSU head volleyball coach Julie Darty Dennis will be grand marshals.
Big wheels will be rolling into town — at least the town of Sturgis — at 2 p.m. Dec. 3. The small Oktibbeha County community will have a unique Christmas parade in its downtown area with tractors, heavy duty equipment, side-by-sides, vintage cars and trucks.
Caledonia will be celebrating at 6 p.m. Dec. 3. Parade goers can watch the Caledonia Christmas parade cut its way through downtown. At the same time, Maben’ parade, themed “Classic Christmas,” will proceed toward the town’s fire station.
The Columbus Christmas parade will begin at 3 p.m. Dec. 4, and it will take place on College and Main streets. The theme of this year’s parade is “Christmas Around the World,” and the grand marshal is WCBI anchor Aundrea Self.
West Point will hold its parade at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 5 with the theme “A Cowboy Christmas,” and the parade will run its route in downtown West Point.
Rounding out the region for parades, New Hope will hold its Christmas parade at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 13. It will start in the back parking lot of New Hope High School, turn right onto Stadium Road to loop around New Hope Road and end back in the NHHS parking lot. There is no set theme, but all entrants are encouraged to be as festive as possible.
Trees and traditions
Festivities kick off the Christmas countdown from 5:30-7 p.m. Monday in Columbus with the tree lighting at the Riverwalk. There will be carols, hot chocolate and many more activities hosted by Columbus Main Street.
The 50th annual Holiday Bazaar is a two-day event beginning on Wednesday and Thursday in Starkville at the Mill at MSU. Holiday shoppers can browse art, trinkets, clothes and more from local businesses from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day. Tickets for the event, hosted by the Greater Starkville Development Partnership, are $5 and can be purchased at the door.
If shoppers want to preview the bazaar while sipping on a mimosa from 8:30-10 a.m Wednesday before the bazaar opens to the public, tickets are on sale for $15 online at tickets.evvnt.com/events/bubbly-at-the-bazaar-11-30-2022 or for $20 at the door.
The annual and highly-anticipated Wassail Fest returns to Columbus from 5-8 p.m. Dec. 2 in downtown Columbus. Various businesses will have their own wassail recipes for those participating to vote on. Those in attendance will be able to take pictures with the giant snow globe and win door prizes.
Prior to West Point’s Christmas parade on Dec. 5, the city will host its tree lighting at 6 p.m. in Sally Kate Winters Park.
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